George Cran Season ticket price hike risks undoing good work

DUNDEE have done some great work in rebuilding the connection to their fanbase.

Just remember the bad old days when Mark McGhee was in charge, season books were being thrown at John Nelms and barely any home fans turned up for a Scottish Cup quarter-final at Dens Park.

They’ve come a long way since that Rangers game and the low point of the 2022/23 season.

It helps that there has been success on the pitch – the Championship title win last season under Gary Bowyer has been followed by a top-six charge under Tony Docherty.

And, off the pitch, positive news has been flowing too.

The club moved into a new training centre at Gardyne, the plans for a new stadium are moving on apace and there’s a link-up with Premier League Burnley.

There are brilliant young players to watch on the pitch in a strong squad playing some very decent football.

It’s football and players fans want to go and see.

A lot of work obviously goes into the playing side of things by manager Docherty and his staff.

And a ton of work has gone on behind the scenes at the club to rebuild that relationship between club and fans that only a couple of years ago was in tatters.

They deserve a lot of credit for that.

However, it doesn’t take much for that to turn.

And hiking season tickets is a big risk on that front.

It’s no big surprise to see prices going up from last year.

When the 2023/24 prices were revealed, Dundee were second in the Championship.

Promotion was far from certain, even midway through the final game of the season.

So, at a time of year when clubs need some money coming in, there was no way the Dark Blues could charge Premiership prices when there was still a big chance of Championship football at Dens.

Prices of everything have gone up so no doubt the club are feeling the pinch and the playing budget has clearly risen so that needs paying for too.

But a price rise of £80 for a full adult season ticket to £490 is difficult to fathom.

Almost £500 for a seat in a stadium that is crumbling, with a pitch struggling to stage games feels like too much.

The biggest disappointment for me is the scrapping of the £1 season tickets for U/12s. The club didn’t get nearly enough credit for that.

Putting them up to £50 as

well as senior and disabled tickets up £55 to £335 sends the wrong message.

Manager Tony Docherty spoke this week about the connection between the players and the supporters after more than 2,500 Dees saw their side win at St Johnstone.

Dundee fans are enjoying watching one of the best teams in recent years.

Just when a whole lot is going in the right direction, hiking prices by such a big amount risks undoing all that work.

At a time when everyone’s pockets are being squeezed it’s just too much.

TOGETHER: Dundee fans and players pictured at an open training session earlier in the season.